hawley



(No Model.)

2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

A. A. HAWLEY. MAKING FELT FOOTWEAR.

Patented Apr. 27

W WW flttorney N. PETERS Phohrblho nphen Washingmn, 0.0.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

6 0O 8 7 2 n p A d av m .m Hwm P Lw Wm T m nt AG N m A M WITNESSES.Attorney N. PETERS. Pholo-Lilhognpher, Washingtun, D:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED A. HAWLEY, OF KENNEBUNK, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO THE M ERINO SHOECOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MAKING FELT FOOT-=WELAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,667, dated April27,1886.

Application filed February 17, 1886. Serial No.1d2fl93. (No model.) A

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. HAWLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kennebnnk, in the county of York and State of 5 Maine, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Making Felt Foot-Veer;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will en able others skilled in theart to which [0 it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is an end view of the mechanism for carrying out the process;Fig. 2, a face or front view; Fig. 3, atop view; Fig. 4, the improvedbat; Fig. 5, a modified arrangement of the mechanism, and Fig. 6 thecompleted boot.

This invention relates to improvements in felt boots, stockings, &c.,which may be called felted foot-wear, and more particularly to thatclass in which the felt has been strengthened by the introduction of awoven or kniti. e., textile-fabric within said felt or the feltingmaterial. Heretofore this has been done either by incorporating afull-length stocking with the felt, the stocking being coextensive withthe felt in the finished article, or by using a piece of tubular textilefabric, or by using simply a piece of textile fabric, which isintroduced at the special point to be strengthened. In all of theseforms the material composing the textile fabric has to be woven or knit,so

as to be in form for incorporating.

It is the object of the present intention to dispense with the use of afabric as such, and to incorporate the threads thereof directly and asthread with the felting material without.

any preliminary handling, as knitting or weaving.

To this end the invention consists in the mechanism, process, andproduct hereinafter 5 set forth.

In the annexed drawings, in which Sheet 1 represents my improvedmechanism, the letters A, A, B, O, D, E, F, and G indicate a combinationof parts forming a former-r011 frame, such as is shown in United StatesPatent No. 304,726, granted September 9, 1884.

To this patent reference is made for a full description of theconstruction and operation of these parts, only so much being given hereas is necessary for a clear understanding of the present invention.Between the carding-ma chine (which it is not necessary to show in thedrawings) and the former-frame is placed a suitable support or frame, N,the top or cross bar, P, of which is arranged across and above the pathof the sliver O, as shown. To the top of the cross-bar P are secured aseries of pins, 1), any number desired being used, and in front of eachpin is placed a tl1read-guide,p.

In carrying out my process a spool, R, of thread is placed on each pin1), with the thread r passed through the guide 1). The thread may be ofwool or cotton. The former is preferred, as it makes a better article.As the sliver 0 comes from the doffer of the cardingmachine it is passedto the drum or cone E and wound thereon. At the same time the cone E andthe roll D are given a reciprocating or endwise movement, as fullyexplained in the patent already referred to, and as indicated in Fig. 3of the drawings in this case. As the sliver is wound on the cone E thethreads r are placed on the sliver, and are carried with it around thecone. This causes the threads to wind on themselves as the framereciprocates, as indicated in Fig. 3. Enough of the threadsis fed to thesliver, and then the threads are severed. After the sliver for a boot iswound it is removed fromthe cone forming the bat shown in Fig. 4. Inthis figure the bat is shown as cut so as to indicate the several layersof the felting material with the threads lying on each, such layersindicating the wayin which the threads of one layer cross those of thenext. The bat thus made is manipulated in the usual way, by cutting,hardening, fulling, 850., and made up into the completed article shownin Fig. 6.

In winding the threads they may be incorporated as describedi. 0.,alternating with the layers of the sliver.or several layers of threadmay be wound at any given place among the layers of the sliver, thetravel of the sliver being checked, or the thread may be wound first andthen the sliver, or the sliver I03 first and then the thread, accordingto what place in the finished article the thread is to occupy. Inwinding on the thread it may go the whole width of the sliver and be thewhole length of the completed article, or it may be only a part of thewidth of the sliver. However, it should be placed so as to come at theankle and instep of the finished article. The traverseof theformcnfranie is to be regulated according to the degree desired for thethreads to cross. The greater the traverse the more will the threads benearer the major axis of the bat; hence, in shrinking the bat willreduce more in proportion than if the threads were farther from themajor axis. If the threads be of cotton, the felt in shrinking will drawthem together.

If desired, the former-frame may be stationary, and the spool-supportingframe be given a traverse.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified form of the mechanism. Here thespool-threadsupporting frame instead of being straight is made angular.

Other kinds of former-frames may be used and the old steps may bevaried. The cone E may be a drum, and the bat be cut open and made flat,and the article made from this.

My invention consists, broadly, in incorporating threads, as distinctfrom prepared fabric, with the felting material, and I do not wish tolimit myself by the other steps, which may be varied, as is evident tothose skilled in the art; also, other articles than those of foot-wearmay be made of this material.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A machine for makingarticles of the kind described, provided with a frame for supportingspools of thread, as set forth.

2. The combination of a carding-machine, a former-frame, and athread-spool supporting- 0 frame, as set forth.

3. As an improved step in the process of making articles of the kinddescribed, the incorporating with the sliver, threads as distinguishedfrom a prepared fabric, as set forth. 4 5

4. The process of making articles of the kind described, which consistsin incorporating threads with the sliver forming a bat, and thenmanipulating said bat in any of the ordinary ways, as set forth. 5o

5. As an improvement in the art of making articles of the kinddescribed, a bat consisting of felting material with which areincorporated simple threads as distinguished from a prepared fabric, asset forth. 5 5

6. As an improved article, felted foot-wear in which are incorporatedthreads as distinguished from a prepared fabric, as set forth.

7. As an improved material, felt with which is incorporated simplethreads as distinguished 60 from a prepared fabric, as set forth.

8. As an improved material, felt with which is incorporated threadscrossing one another,

ALFRED A. HAVVLEY.

' \Vitnesses:

WALLACE E. MAsoN, V. L. DANE.

